The Harvest
by Andreille LeFlore
Summary: The time of the Harvest has come, and the powers of the Hell Statue have to be awakened. It is time for the Akatsuki to gather the Nine Tailed Beasts. But emotions, hatred, and personal greed have caused a faction in the group...
1. Chakra Control

**The Harvest**

Chapter One:  
Chakra Control

"Do you think she's dead, un?"

"I don't know. If she is, we'll be in trouble. The Leader specifically told us to capture her alive."

Her body was limp, dead weight compared to other people they had to carry. Deidara scratched his head, his hands protected from curious eyes by fingerless gloves, as he stood there, examining her for wounds or injuries. Her breathing was stable, and although a little shaky, her heartbeat was good. There was nothing wrong with her. So why was she so heavy?

"Hey, Sasori-sama, can people do that on purpose? You know, fake death, un?"

"What do you think? People do it all the time. We were trained to do that. But this... this is unusual. She's still breathing, and unless she knows how to stop her heart... She's fine. Quit complaining and carry her."

"Hai, Sasori-sama." He picked her up by the arm, dragging her over his shoulder, and slowly began walking. The Leader had told them not to use any of their jutsu or puppets, putting Deidara at a disadvantage. But for Sasori, a simple puppet disguise was all that was needed. He appeared as if he was a simple ninja from Iwagakure, making sure to keep Deidara and himself safe from prying eyes. Once they had found her, they noticed that she was crying, dirty, sitting alone against an old stone building. It was obvious that she was either homeless or a runaway. Rather than attract attention, they waited until she was asleep to pick up her body, but they had no idea a "sleeping" person could weigh so much. Only dead bodies produced dead weight. So just where was hers coming from?? They made their exit through the cliffs North of the village, where, to Deidara's relief, he was finally able to produce some of his stunning artwork to help with his load. A large bird which he created from a simply molded piece of clay landed nearby, and he hopped on, finally letting go of the body.

"Ahh, that's better, un."

"Deidara. Don't lose her. You go on ahead without me. I have some other business to take care of."

"Hai, see you when you get back, un!" He immediately took off, leaving Sasori behind, his image fading into a small speck beneath him.

There was nothing visible now but the cliffs, mountaintops, and trees. He breathed a sigh of relief, settling himself down as he looked behind him at the body. Her hair was dirty, obviously having not been washed in a while. It was a rather nice shade of brown, except it was matted up in places. She had most of it wrapped up in a bun at the base of her neck, the rest, falling in her face. He lifted her left arm out of curiosity, noting that she wasn't nearly as heavy as she was when he first picked her up in the small village. Something really must have gone wrong when they waited for her to fall asleep. He let it drop back down at her side, as he made a small frown, and turned back around, dropping his head in his hands. He wondered just what it was about this girl that the Leader would want her. She didn't appear as if she was much older than he was, but she definitely weighed more than Deidara did!

After a few hours, he arrived in a small clearing, the assigned place they were told to go to when the cave was off limits. There, he found Kisame and Itachi waiting for him, and Sasori, no longer in his other puppet body, staring blankly at him from the distance. Deidara knew he would have to carry the body again, and he grumbled, carefully dragging her from the bird, making a surprised 'umph', as he carried her in his arms. She did weigh a lot less now! Just what was going on?!

"Good work, Deidara-san."

"Ha, thanks, un! I just wished we didn't have to hide out here. This kid's too much trouble."

"That's exactly what I said when I met you."

"Hey, un!" He grumbled some more as the four of them took off, and he shifted her around once more, eventually carrying her on his back again.

"You know, Sasori-sama, when we found her, she weighed a ton! But now..."

"..."

"She weighs a lot less, un!"

"Perhaps it was some kind of jutsu. We may have been watched."

"We'll just have to take care of them then, won't we?" Kisame, laughed, shifting Samehada around on his back. The thought of butchering another victim excited him.

"That won't be necessary. I'm sure it was just weakness on Deidara-san's part." Itachi was quick to insult him, making Deidara lash out at him.

"How dare you, un! I'm just as quick as you, and just as powerful as you are! There's no way someone as inartistic as you could ever--"

"That's quite enough, Deidara." Sasori lifted an arm between them, breaking up the fight.

"Hai, Sasori-sama. It won't happen again." He sneered at Itachi as he passed, shifting the girl's body on his back. It was a long walk, and he didn't want to spend it with inartistic Uchiha Itachi.

It was bright. Too bright. There were in some places, blurs of green, and in others, blurs of brown. She couldn't tell where she was, except that it wasn't her village. Rather than the cold hard ground outside, or her old rickety bed, she felt soft warmth beneath her, like fabric, like clothes. She knew she must be being carried, and she lifted her head, to find a head of blonde hair in front of her. She blinked a few times, just to make sure she was seeing things right. She was being carried! By a guy! He had his hair in a ponytail on the top of his head, and he was humming a nice tune as he carried her along. Every now and again, he would pull her up, and she blushed, gripping tight to his shoulders. Only then did he notice she had woken up. He looked over his shoulder at her shocked expression and smiled.

"You're awake, un! That's good. You can walk, and carry yourself for once, un."

He stopped abruptly letting her down onto the ground. He turned to face her, a sly smile on his face. He crossed his arms as he stepped back from her, getting a better look at the girl who was once nothing more than a sleeping body. She held her hands together, her face flushed red. She was shaking, too stunned to run away. Either way, Deidara had a trick up his sleeve in case she did decide to gather up the nerve.

She couldn't help but stare at the guy in front of her. He was smiling at her as though he expected her to do something, what that was she had no idea. She kept staring into his one visible eye. It was a beautiful shade of sapphire blue, although the other one was disguised by a long lock of his hair. What was really eating at her was just why a guy would kidnap her of all people. Guys never held any interest in her before, and she was, by all standards, considered plain. Plain and fat. Guys didn't like fat girls. She dropped her head to stare at the ground, ashamed of her appearance, afraid to say anything to him.

"So, are you going to come or what?"

"H-Huh? Y-You're talking to me??"

"Hai, who else would I be talking to? You're the only one here besides myself, un!"

"I-I-I just want to know... why'd you take me?? I mean, I'm not that smart. I can't help or--"

"Don't worry about that, un! It wasn't my idea. Just come on! Or unless you want to run away, that's always an option," he pondered, placing his arm in the palm of his other hand, and resting his head in his upturned hand, looking at the sky. If he blew her up for trying to escape, the Leader would have his head. There were other ways of dealing with runaway hostages, but he didn't want to resort to Kisame's way of problem solving. Too gruesome. Not very artistic. She stepped forward a little, bringing him out of his state of thought.

"I-I'll come. Don't worry." She stepped up next to him, and he cheerfully hooked his arm around hers, leading her along as he continued his quick march to their new hideout. She didn't know what to think about his friendly behavior towards her. She thought that kidnappers were supposed to be mean towards their victims, but he was the complete opposite of a kidnapper or criminal! He was being awfully friendly and kind towards her, even offering to let her run away if she wanted to. (She knew better than that, though!) She couldn't help but look up at him every now and again. He had a bright smile on his face, obviously quite pleased with himself for some reason or another. Itachi hadn't gotten to him as much as he thought he would. She noticed from watching him that his hair wasn't in his face for no reason at all, but to cover up a complex piece of machinery over his left eye. She glanced over at him from then on, keeping her head facing forward, to keep him from getting suspicious, but he had been watching her himself, peeking at her every now and again, whenever she looked away. He took the time to get to know his new hostage a little better.

"So, why were you crying this morning, huh, un?"

"I-I-I didn't know you..."

"Oh, sorry, un! I shouldn't have said anything! How stupid of me! It was probably female troubles, yeah?" He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand, and she blushed, looking down at her feet as they continued walking. She had no idea just how to act around guys. They rarely talked to her, but she rarely talked to anyone for that matter. Just how she was to act around other girls was as big a mystery to her as how to act around guys! Everything she thought of saying to him made her blush more because it all sounded stupid in her head, so she decided to simply tell him just what made her cry before.

"Um... I-I was.."

"Hmm?"

"I-I was crying because I was mad... and sad. T-That's all."

"Oh, okay! I get mad, too, sometimes. Like back there! That Uchiha! I don't know what we have him for anyways, un!" She looked behind her to see three small specks in the distance. Whoever he was traveling with had been left far behind a long time ago. Who knows how long they had been walking.

"I never told you my name."

"It's fine, un. _I_ never told you mine either!" He laughed, pulling her along as he sped up. She noticed that his nails were carefully painted black, all of them perfectly manicured. She felt safer with him at her side considering she had no idea where she was. She decided to continue the conversation to keep her mind straight.

"I was mad... at my mom and dad. So I left home. They do that to me a lot, so I finally got sick of it and left! Pretty stupid of me, huh?"

"No, I wouldn't say stupid, I did that too, but look at me now! I look like I'm doing pretty good _now_, huh, un?" She giggled as he presented himself in a very comical way to her, and she stifled back a laugh, before they continued along.

"Why do we keep going so fast? Soon enough, we're going to start running!"

"Sorry, but I was trying to keep away from _that_, un!" He pointed casually behind him at the three figures fast approaching. They were no longer mere specks, but three other people dressed in the same black cloaks with red clouds. The tallest one caught her eye first. He appeared to be some sort of walking shark! She bugged her eyes, blinking them repeatedly to see if she wasn't seeing things, but each time, the same sight met her eyes. Just beneath his eyes, a set of gills stood out on his pale blue skin, which she could only guess were scales. He was swinging a great sword in his arms, laughing about some unknown conversation he was having with his partner.

This one appeared to her as the quiet type. If looks could kill, _his_ were definitely deadly. His expression was hollow behind his collar, his eyes burning into the landscape ahead of him. His ebony hair swished in the wind, making him lift a steady hand to wipe it out of his eyes. Nothing seemed to startle this guy, not even an explosion could distract him.

The one in the front however confused her. He looked to be no older than ten, and although he appeared young, he seemed to hold a certain amount of seniority over the other two. His neatly combed red hair blew every which way as the wind picked up. She decided that she would rather stick with the blonde one instead of risking it with the other three. She turned around, staring ahead of her. He wasn't the only guy! The thought just hit her. Why would a bunch of men want a boring girl like her? She could only guess the horrible things they might do to her, and she shivered, making Deidara look her way.

"Hey, you cold, un?"

"N-No, I just... are you guys... going to rape me??"

"Rape you?! Ha, no way! We have different plans! You're going to be staying with us for a while. You'll see soon enough, un!" The answer didn't make her feel any safer, and she gulped hard, thinking that they might kill her as soon as they arrived at their destination. This gave her the jump she needed to make her escape. She deftly slid her arm out of Deidara's and ran, readying herself to push between the other three. She made it past Sasori without any trouble, but as she approached Kisame and Itachi, she pushed Kisame aside, only to get jerked backwards by an unseen hand, flinging her into Itachi's chest. She looked up in horror at his eyes, which were once onyx black, but now an evil shade of red.

"Don't. Try. That. Again."

"O-O-Okay."

"Nice catch, Itachi-san." Kisame praised him, pulling the girl up easily by her arm, and slung her over his shoulder. She screamed and pounded on his back, but it did no damage to him, and she eventually gave up, dangling there helplessly. She wondered just how he could have managed to catch her in time. Were his reflexes really that good? She had never even seen him move! The girl blushed, thinking just how close she had come to him. She dropped her head, letting it hang loosely, realizing that such thoughts were useless at the time. She was getting too easily distracted by these guys, and that made her worry. She had never been distracted by guys before, but she had never been so close to guys like this before either! She breathed in slowly, clearing her thoughts, and went over everything that had just happened to her.

The one she had bumped into was Itachi, the Uchiha. No wonder the blonde one hated him so. He was too stern for his own good. She could only guess what the other two's names were, but as she went over everything, she looked up to see herself pass by a frowning Deidara. His look wasn't one of disappointment, but one of worry. Was he really worried about her?? He simply stood there in their wake, still frowning at her. She closed her eyes, unable to take in the sight anymore, and dropped her head once more, letting Kisame carry her without any trouble.


	2. My Rescuer, My Kidnapper

**The Harvest**

Chapter Two:  
My Rescuer, My Kidnapper

"Try to keep a better eye on your charge from now on, Deidara-san."

Itachi chided Deidara with a certain pride as he and Kisame followed Sasori ahead of him. Deidara followed as they passed, keeping a good distance between himself and the others. He watched carefully as the girl's body hung loosely over Kisame's shoulder. She definitely looked like a dead body now. Her arms dangled lifelessly, swinging every which way and that. The only thing that let Deidara know she wasn't dead was the occasional pitter-pat of teardrops running down Kisame's coat. She had been crying for a while, because there was a big wet spot beneath her head. Kisame didn't seem to notice, although something was bothering him about her, because he kept adjusting her weight over his shoulder.

"Damn it, Itachi, she's weighing me down! Did she just put on a hundred pounds or something all of a sudden?!"

"It's that jutsu again."

"I don't know if it's a jutsu or what, but she's making me mad! Either we chop off her arms and legs, or we find out just what happened when I picked her up!!" He swung her over his shoulder with such a force that she flew to the ground, leaving a trench in the grass and dirt. To this, Deidara objected.

"Kisame-san, watch yourself or you'll have _me_ to deal with, un!" He stood between Kisame and the girl, his gloves already removed, holding a large piece of clay between his fingers. He had come prepared just in case something like this occurred.

"Protecting your girlfriend, are you?? Is she that important?"

"Yes! I am to deliver her, WITHOUT HARM, Akatsuki's orders!! And she is NOT my GIRLFRIEND, un!!"

"Ha, and you think a measly piece of clay is going to stop me and my Samehada??" He lifted the large sword from its hilt, aiming it easily at the blonde in front of him. The only thing stopping him was Sasori.

"Before you two prove just who is the better, I think you should take a closer look at the girl. She appears to be out."

She was unconscious, whether by force or from having fallen asleep, and was unaware of the fight going on in front of her. Deidara looked at her in fear, afraid that she might have been hurt from the collision.

"Sasori-sama, is she dead?!"

"No, she's breathing, but her heartbeat is still uneasy. It might be hereditary. I'm still unsure of just why her body produces so much dead weight. It isn't a jutsu, but it might have something to do with her chakra. That just may be why our Leader wants her." There was silence for a while before Kisame finally put his sword back in it's hilt, and stepped back, standing next to Itachi's stone figure.

"Well then, Deidara-san. She's your problem now, heh heh heh." The two of them continued walking, leaving Sasori and his apprentice in their wake.

"Sasori-sama, I'm sorry. I let my emotions... get the better of me. I'll try not to let it occur again." He bowed sincerely, keeping his eyes on the ground in front of him, but mostly on her unconscious body.

"...yes. Come. We need to hurry, it's almost sundown." He continued ahead, and Deidara put his gloves back on, gently picking her up, and walked along side of him, thinking about just what he'd do to make it up to her for letting this happen.

The red globe of fire drifted lazily behind the mountains in the distance. Sundown. They had finally arrived. It was a small village. Long since abandoned by the villagers that once lived there. Stone buildings stood hollow and empty, completely uncared for for so many years, except the ones that had been utilized for the Akatsuki's purposes, no one would ever know someone lived here. They had set up operations in the largest of the buildings, obviously the former home of the village elders. Hidan was waiting for them in the doorway, his arms crossed, and a smile on his face.

"'bout time you assholes got here! We can't do a damn thing without you, so hurry up and get inside!" He stepped aside, allowing Sasori and Deidara to enter. Deidara found Kisame and their Leader in deep conversation, obviously over the events that took place in the clearing. Deidara growled, carefully placing her body in a chair in the corner, and approached the two, making sure to keep his anger in check.

"The girl, sir... un." He bowed, keeping his eyes on his face. Their Leader always looked angry beneath numerous piercings and his scratched through headband. His orange hair was messy and unkempt, even when it was well taken care of. He gave a small nod, giving Deidara the cue to leave him in peace. Kisame smiled wickedly as he walked away as well, and Deidara cursed himself inwardly for this. He turned to look at the girl behind him only to find their Leader holding up her arm.

"It's at rest. She obviously has no clue how to control her chakra." Deidara was surprised. It was her chakra making him do all the heavy lifting?! He approached without caution, the matter still fresh on his mind.

"Um, Sir! Can chakra affect one's weight??"

"It can. Density, matter, simple weight, it can affect anything. Chakra is a force not to be messed with. She has an everlasting fountain of it. That's why we need her."

"As much as the tailed beasts, un??"

"No, but enough to power the Hell Statue. Then, we can get to the matter of the tailed beasts. Why?? Is she that important to you?" His eyes dug deep into Deidara's soul, trying to find a reason for his questioning, but Deidara stood firm, his arms quavering in fear of his Leader's reaction to his next answer.

"It's only that she gave us a bit of trouble on the way here, un. Nothing more." The Leader turned away from the girl, bringing his full attention to Deidara. He looked at him with a certain understanding that Deidara couldn't quite catch.

"You're weak, Deidara-san. We recruited you for your terrorist skills, but when it comes to your personal feelings, you let them get in your way. I didn't have this trouble with Orochimaru-san, even if he was a deserter and a traitor. Try to control yourself." He walked away leaving a shocked and frightened Deidara standing there. Was it really that noticeable?? Had he let his emotions take that much control over him, that everyone could see it?? Their Leader, Sasori, and even Kisame?? He fought with himself, struggling to remind himself to keep his emotions in check the next time he had a mission. He didn't want it to turn out like this one did. He left the building, keeping this one singular thought in mind. He passed by a frowning Konan on his way out the door, and she looked at him as though she could tell immediately what he was thinking. She watched as Deidara shut the door behind him, and walked to their Leader's room keeping her hands behind her back. She was holding a neatly folded piece of paper in her hands that she wanted to make something out of, only she had been distracted by Deidara's expression. It really turned her off. She thought that by going to their Leader, she might find out just what put the usually upbeat artist in such a mood. She knocked twice on the already open door, and he looked up from a large scroll sprawled open in front of him. He sighed allowing her entrance.

"I already know why you're here. It's about Deidara-san."

"He seems down," She lifted the paper out in front of her, folding it once more. "that's unusual."

"He's forgetting his training as a shinobi."

And again.

"How so??"

And again.

"He seems to have feelings for that girl from Iwa."

And one final time.

"I think it's kind of sweet." She let the origami figure float from her hand, her chakra sending it in figure eights and circles above her head before it made one final loop-de-loop and landed gently on the table at the Leader's hands. It flapped numerous times like a bird before undoing itself, and returned to a flat piece of paper, as if it had never been folded. Konan picked it up, placing it up her sleeve.

"You should let him have his whim, Pein. He'll lose her anyway. Maybe it'll teach him a lesson."

"Then, it will make him even weaker. We can't have that in the organization."

"I understand. Maybe," she pulled a handful of small pieces of paper from her pockets. "I can pull a few strings for him... just for a little while," she threw them into the air, all of them taking flight. "then he's on his own."

The paper-shuriken flew out the open window, heading for some unknown destination, and Pein nodded his approval of her little idea, letting Konan disappear in a flurry of paper squares.


	3. Our Honored Guest

**The Harvest**

Chapter Three:  
Our Honored Guest

She awoke in a bed in a dark room. It was night, and the only light coming into the room was the moon shedding it's rays on the earth below. There was nothing there except white walls and a small nightstand. She sat up looking in every corner. Nothing. The walls were bare, save for an empty shelf on the far wall. As she got up, she noticed something folded between the wall and the leg of the bed. It was a dusty old stuffed animal. It was nothing more than a colorful piece of fabric filled with fluff and beans, made to look like a bunny rabbit. Despite it's deplorable state, it was still comforting to look at, and she picked it up, holding it in her hands. She hugged it close to her as if it had always been hers, and set it down on her pillow. The old window was nothing more than a square in the wall, lacking panes and glass, and she looked out, noticing the lights coming from the windows of the other near-by buildings. She wasn't the only one here! She wondered if the blonde one, Deidara, was still around. Maybe he was in one of the houses! She jumped from the bed, pulling open the door, only to bump into another man. His silver slicked-back hair was the first thing to catch her eyes. She bowed quickly, hoping not to have angered him.

"I'm really sorry!! Please, forgive me!"

"So you're up, kid. Konan sent me to check up on you. Guess I don't have to worry about that now. So what's your hurry?? Why don't you stick around!" He draped his arm over her shoulder, pulling her in close, and led her down the hall. She couldn't escape now, lest she suffer the same dramatic fate she did with Itachi, or worse. Get killed. She followed helplessly, letting him lead her wherever it was he planned to take her. She gulped hard, hoping it wasn't to a slaughter house for humans, because she had only just noticed the large three-tiered scythe on his back. She tried not to look at it, but it was just so disturbing.

"Pretty nice, huh? It would look _even better_ with your blood on it!" He pointed menacingly to her, laughing, and she almost cried, letting out a frightened whimper. He rounded a corner, and they continued walking in silence, until he broke it with a question.

"So, you Deidara's girlfriend?"

"G-Girlfriend?!"

"Yea, sure, we _all_ heard about it!" She blushed, looking away.

"I-I-I'm not... his girl--"

"You don't have to deny it!! Your secret," he held up a pinky finger. "is safe with me." She couldn't have been more mortified than now. Everyone assumed that she was Deidara's girlfriend, a guy she barely knew. She wondered just where everyone could have gotten that idea. Before she could come to any reasonable conclusions, they arrived in a small living room, deeply furnished compared to the little bedroom she had woken up in. There were more of the cloaked people sitting at the dining room table in the front of the room, and they all seemed to be waiting on her. Hidan led her to an empty chair, and sat her abruptly down before taking a seat himself. They were all staring at her, probing her like a child probes an ant with a magnifying glass. She felt her face growing hot, and if not for Pein, she might have gone up in flames.

"That's enough. Haven't any of you seen a woman before?"

"Sorry, but she _is_ kinda cute." She could've guessed she had already caught on fire when Hidan said this, and looked down at her hands in her lap. She had always had trouble looking people in the eyes.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"I feel fine. I think."

"Tell me, how old are you?"

"Um... I..."

"Come on, man, can't you see she's nervous??"

"No more nervous than you made her with that 'cute' comment." The two were silent, Hidan's expression lurid. He looked at the wall, breaking up the tension, to which Konan interjected with her own questioning.

"Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll go and fix you some ramen. That'll make you feel better." She stood leaving the room through yet another doorway, and the girl finally lifted her head to look at everyone. She noticed a bored looking Itachi sitting at the table with his aquatic partner, and some new faces she hadn't noticed before. The known flirter with silver hair. He sat, lazily fingering a strange piece of jewelry around his neck. She might have thought he was cute except for his personality. She then noticed the one sitting next to him. His face was covered by a cloth, and his headband, which, like Itachi's, was scratched through. Come to think of it. They were all scratched through. She wondered just what happened to these ninja. She then looked over at the one who spoke to her. His orange hair was surprising to her. She had never seen such brightly colored hair before. He had so many piercings in his face and ears, she almost laughed. A couple of people she knew had piercings like his, but not so many. She thought he was quite interesting with his hypnotic eyes and odd expression. He looked as if he hated his company, despite sitting so calmly with them. He blinked slowly, noticing her staring back at him, and she jumped, looking down at her hands once more. There was no redhead ninja. She had only just thought about it, but the one person she had been looking forward to seeing, wasn't even there. Deidara.

"Here you are. I hope it helps." Konan arrived, a steaming hot bowl of ramen in her hands. She placed it neatly in front of the girl, and sat back down between Pein and Hidan. She stared at the bowl for a second before looking up at each of them. Itachi sneered, noting how he had never seen such a terrible display of manners from a guest. She looked back and forth between the bowl and the others, who were, once again, staring at her like an ant through a magnifying glass. She finally gathered up her courage and thanked them for the hospitality.

"U-Um, thank you for the ramen." She slowly began to eat, and the room finally began to soften. She was enjoying her meal quite nicely, slurping up the noodles without a care, until she noticed a creepy-looking Kisame staring back at her, his head resting on his hand, and a contented smile on his face. She stopped abruptly, a noodle still hanging from her mouth, and Kisame's smile widened.

"U-Um... um..."

"You look cute when you eat." Itachi sighed, embarrassed by his partner's open display of opinion, and hit him in the back of the head, making Kisame growl. She giggled at this, and continued eating. When she was finally finished, she pushed the bowl away from her, and Konan picked it up, carrying it back to the kitchen. She knew that now that her stomach was full, she would be questioned full force again. She prepared for the worst, getting all her information in order that she planned to tell them.

"Tell us, what's your name? You must have a name."

"I, um, my name is Yukinara."

"Yukinara. That's a pleasant name. Especially for one from Iwagakure. Tell me, how old are you?"

"I'm 18, uh, sir." She went red, staring into her lap. She was getting worse. She had to get a hold of herself, or else.

"Miss Yukinara, while you are with us, we promise to take excellent care of you. You have our word," He bowed his head, keeping his eyes on her. She was becoming frightened. "You will be under the supervision of Deidara-san. He will look after you for the time being." He looked carefully at Konan, a silent knowledge passing between them. Her face lit up if only for a moment. Deidara would be here?? She fought the urge to jump up and look for him, and nodded, only to be further embarrassed by Hidan's roving eyes.

"Heh, she's _already_ excited. The two lovebirds, together again!" He laughed heartily, making his partner place a hand on his arm.

"Maybe you should keep your thoughts to yourself, Hidan."

"Who asked you?!"

"No one, but maybe it's about time you shut up."

"Damn it, I'm not gonna let you tell me what to do and say this time! Not tonight!" They both stood up, putting some distance between the two of them, and they readied themselves for another fight. Yukinara was unsure of just exactly what was going on here, but she felt like this wasn't the first time this had happened. Hidan was just about to pull out his scythe when a strange white flash, jutted between them. There was silence. Nothing happened for a moment until the whole table split clean in half, dropping in two neat pieces to the floor. Yukinara screamed as the wood creaked and moaned, spitting splinters of wood everywhere. Hidan and Kakuzu brought their attention to an origami butterfly jammed into the wall behind them. If shifted lazily, more like a razor than a piece of paper. Yukinara's eyes went wide. Everyone's full attention shifted to a quiet Konan. Both hers and Pein's eyes were closed, their heads bowed in reverence.

"No, not tonight. Tonight, we should be considerate of our honored guest, miss Yukinara. Don't you agree, Hidan? Kakuzu??" Never in her life had Yukinara ever met anyone who could control paper that way. Konan's tone was both gentle and menacing at the same time. She held both Hidan's, and the other one known as Kakuzu's life in her hands. They sat down amongst the rubble, everyone except Yukinara, bowing their heads. Yukinara was scared out of her mind. Just what were these people?! Were they even human?? Her thoughts drifted to Deidara, and just what he would have done if he were here. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thought, but it just wouldn't leave her. Deidara was on her mind, and there was nothing she could do about it.


	4. Chasing the Light

**The Harvest**

Chapter Four:  
Chasing the Light

When she was dismissed back to her room, Yukinara sat on the bed, looking out the window at the many lights coming from the other houses. They went out one by one. Except a single light out in the distance. It wasn't coming from any of the stone houses, and Yukinara wondered if it was coming from the two missing ninja. Maybe the redhead, or quite possibly, Deidara. She stood up on the bed, positioning herself to slide out the window. It was only so big, and if she slid out the wrong way, she would definitely get stuck. She pushed herself up, kicking off the bed and up into the stone square. Yukinara lied there on her stomach, thinking this through. If she made her escape this way, they would find her, and kill her. But she wasn't trying to escape. She was only trying to find Deidara. She made the final push, and landed on her stomach on the ground below. She moaned, and stood up, dusting off her clothes. They were nothing more than an old torn T-shirt and a worn pair of pants, but they were still clothes. She walked out, away from the houses only to notice a tall patch of grass growing out in the abandoned field. She would start her search there.

The moonlight was soothing. It made one feel comforted, and strong at the same time. That was the way Sasori felt. He watched as the gray clouds drifted harmlessly across the moon and far into the east. The starlight made everything that much more enjoyable. He had been thinking about his new apprentice, and just how much trouble he would be in the near future. They were going to be searching for the Nine Tailed Beasts, each one becoming more powerful than the next. Deidara knew nothing of the kind of power they possessed. Maybe he could convince the Leader to let him start off with something easy. Not quite easy, but maybe a demon with fewer tails. He had always known there was one hidden in his former village, but where it was now he'd never guess.  
He looked out into the grassy fields. Two giant quavering leaves stuck out amongst the stalky grass, and Sasori narrowed his eyes. He always hated that plant. He looked over at a white shadow moving towards them. It was the girl. He sighed, still watching her as she approached. She was headed in his direction, but rather than stop her, he let her continue walking. He knew what she was looking for, heading for his light. It was Deidara. But Sasori's apprentice had long left, and wouldn't be returning until morning. Maybe if he let her run into that plant, it would teach her a lesson. The light, a simple, metal lantern. shifted endlessly on the end of the long pole to which it was attached. Rather than impeding her search, he decided to let her continue looking. In vain.

Yukinara pushed aside the tall stalks searching for the distant light she had seen through her window. It was difficult to spot over the grassy towers, and she jumped up and down, trying to spot it. It danced back and forth, eluding her every advance. A little brown bug buzzed past her, and she swatted at it to leave only for it to land on her arm. She sighed, and put her thoughts back on the light. She was still too far away. She had to get closer! She edged through another tuft of grass, reaching out for the beam of light, and the bug flew up, landing in her hair. Still nothing. Was her mind playing tricks on her? Her eyes??? She wanted to know if Deidara, a familiar face was on the end of that light, but she wasn't making any progress. That's when she heard it. The sound of rustling grass. It wasn't her, and the wind had stopped blowing minutes ago, so just what was moving in the grass besides her?

"Hello? Anyone there? Deidara? H-Hidan?" She looked all around, but no one was there, just grass and leaves. And _leaves_??? There were no leaves there before. Two _giant_ ones, moving right towards her! She didn't know plants could move around! But she didn't know this plant. Within moments, she was captured, two strong thick vines holding her in place. She would have screamed, but her voice was lost, a jutsu cleverly placed on her without her knowledge. She looked up only to see two hideous yellow eyes staring back at her, a two-toned face, becoming visible behind their glow. His face was black on one side and white on the other, and all of him was encased in an incredible plant... like a man-eating plant.

"You look delicious. I think I'll eat you." He smiled grimly, readying himself for a good meal, only he stopped when the little bug flew from her hair to his. It's hollow eyes gave it a comical appearance, almost as if it were only a good imitation of a bug, only there was nothing comical about this insect. It made a giggling squeak, exploding in seconds, and the horrendous plant let her go, a terrible scream erupting from his mouth.  
"Augh! It burns! Damn you, Deidara-san!" Blood flowed down his face as he slowly tromped away the same way he came in. Yukinara was still unable to scream as the jutsu was still in effect on her, but she was sure she had heard him right. He said 'Deidara.' She stood up, ending her search, and ran back through the grass, heading for her room. If they heard him scream, they would surely come looking, and they would find her! Yukinara made a flying jump once she reached her window, landing clear in the center in seconds. She dropped inside, hitting the floor hard, and she ran to the bed, throwing herself under the covers. If they hadn't already come looking for her, she was safe now. Maybe Sasori was right. Maybe running into that plant _would_ teach her a lesson.


	5. A True Artist

**The Harvest**

Chapter Five:  
A True Artist

Morning. She was glad about it, too. Maybe she would be able to get a few things off her mind today. She opened her door, and followed the path Hidan had led her along last night to the common room. There she found a quiet Pein sitting with his eyes closed and head bowed. As she entered the room he looked up at her, his eyes slowly opening and closing. She approached slowly, all the while keeping her eyes on him.

"Good morning, Miss Yukinara. I trust your sleep was pleasant."

"Um, yeah, pleasant."

"Did you enjoy your little adventure last night, miss Yukinara?" She stopped in her tracks. How did he know? Did they find out she was gone long before she made it back???

"Um, I-I-I don't know what you mean--"

"I know all, I see all, and I saw you venture into Zetsu's territory. That isn't wise." So Zetsu was the name of that awful plant. She gulped, lowering her head. She thought she was going to be punished, maybe even killed, but his response was quite the opposite.

"Considering it was only your first night here, I am willing to let it go. But only this once. I believe you should thank your rescuer. He lifted his hand to a figure standing not too far away. Deidara. He stood, his face rigid. He walked over to Yukinara , where he bowed, closing his eyes.

"U-Um, t-t-thank you! Thank you very much! For saving my life!" She bowed three times herself, making Deidara smile grimly. Pein stood up, excusing himself from the room without a word. He knew she wanted to be alone.

"U-Um, I'm really sorry about last night, I mean, I shouldn't have--"

"It's fine, un. I suppose _now_ is the best time to get to know each other then, yeah?" He laughed, and she felt a little more at ease by his presence.

"My name is Deidara-san. Nice to meet you, un!" He shook her hand, and she laughed by the sudden awkwardness of the introduction.

"Um, my name is Yukinara!" She shook his hand back, looking down at the gloves he was wearing. They were dirty, no longer black, but brown, almost as if he had been playing in the mud. He noticed her watching them, and quickly pulled his hand away, putting it behind his back. She wondered why he hadn't taken them off. Most ninja she saw in Iwagakure kept themselves quite presentable, and when their clothes were soiled, they often took them off, sometimes, right in the street, to find a good water source to clean them in. She wondered if he was hiding something. Deidara made a humming noise, and she snapped out of her train of thought, looking back up at his perturbed expression. He was looking at her from the side, a frown on his face, and she giggled, thinking he looked kind of funny that way.

"Think I'm funny, hmm?"

"A-A little."

"Ha, hmm. Alright, I can settle for that, un." He jammed his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels, and the silence became akward.

"Will you tell me... how you knew I was in trouble?"

"Well, that's easy!" His slight frown quickly turned into a smile. Deidara shoved a finger through the holes in his gloves allowing a tiny bug to crawl through and into his palm. He held his arm out to show her his little creation. It was a tiny bug just like the one that had landed in her hair. It scuttled in a circle in his palm, squeaking its own little song as she looked down at it in wonder.

"Isn't he wonderful? My perfect art! It's quite impressive, no, un?"

"Yeah, he's so cute! He looks just like the real thing! So, wait, that thing last night was really...?" She pointed to it, remembering the little bug that wouldn't leave her alone. It had been Deidara watching her the entire time.

"Correct, un!"

"And the explosion? How do you explain that?" His smile widened, as he held two fingers to his lips. He stepped farther back, still holding the insect out at arms length.

"Katsu." The insect exploded in his hand, leaving nothing behind except small pieces of clay. Neither Deidara or his gloves were harmed or burned in any way. Yukinara could tell he had experience with this kind of stuff.

"Wow. That's so cool! Can you teach me how to do that???"

"Ha, maybe, un! But I can't teach you art. That's a natural talent, un!" He held out a finger informatively, and she giggled again. She was finding it quite impossible to keep herself from laughing when she was in his presence. When she was around him, it felt like she was back home, back with her family. Her parents.

Yukinara's eyes went wide, her legs shaking beneath her. Yukinara struggled to hold herself up, but it was no use. She lifted a quavering arm out in front of her, but her vision was useless, blurry. She collapsed, Deidara barely catching her in time. She weighed a ton, but he still held her up. He dragged her back to her room where he placed her on the bed. She wasn't out, but her body was weak, and her speech slurred.

"Wha-appened?"

"You passed out, un! Everything okay? Tell me why you keep doing this, un!"

"I hurt... all over."

"Tell me what I can do, un!"

"It hurts!" She cried louder, and began crying. He could feel it now. Her chakra. It was everywhere. She had lost control of it again, and was suffering the consequences. Her tears ran down her face and into the pillows, and Deidara felt helpless for once in his life. She complained of her eyes burning, how they hurt her, and Deidara remembered his training in Genjutsu and Chakra displacement. If it would help, it would make things a lot better than they were now. He put his hands together, making the sign of the monkey, and concentrated hard on her chakra flow. It wasn't too difficult considering that it was running wild through her body. He placed two fingers over her heart, and channeled her raging chakra into his body. It was almost unbearable. There was so much of it, he almost broke down himself, his arms beginning to feel heavy. Her chakra was weighing him down, it's full force pulling him over on top of her. He felt like he was being buried in his clay, being smothered by it. He knew he would only have to endure it a little longer, then it would be over. He couldn't breathe, his every intake of air burning his throat and lungs. He imagined this was the way she always felt when this happened to her. He had never had this trouble. He had a release. He had his art. But what did she have?

His back felt like it was going to snap into, but he finally felt the last of the chakra ebb and give away. He breathed in heavily, finally able to take in a painless breath. Yukinara was asleep, the pressure of the endless chakra gone. Deidara was sweating, his face red. How long had she endured this? Was she born like this? He only had just realized he was lying across her legs, and sat up, looking out the windows. There would be no way for anyone else to survive this kind of chakra flow, not unless they were possessed... not unless they were jinchuuriki. He had remembered their Leader stating that she was not a jinchuuriki at all. He thought it all through, trying to figure just what could have made her like this. No demons, no jutsus, so what? He stood up leaving her in the bed to sleep, and he looked behind him at her sleeping form once more. Her face was peaceful, undeterred by pain. He was pleased. He shut the door, and slid down to the floor, leaning against it. He would have a hard time sleeping himself tonight.


	6. Kunoichi in Training

Yup a good loooooooooong chapter, cuz the last too we re-re-re-edits. I know I haven't updated or added anything in ages, so sorry about that. I'm a lazy person.

For some reason or another, I neglected to add the ritual disclaimer to all my past chapters , so here goes nothing.  
*AHEM*  
I DO NOT own any of the characters in this story except Yukinara, so I don't want any lawyers harrassing me! Thank you!  
All characters except Yukinara belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

**The Harvest**

Chapter Six:  
Kunoichi in Training

Konan found him leaning against the door, a look of complete confusion on his face. She sat down next to him, placing her hands in her lap.

"You're new to this, aren't you?"

"Not new, un... I've seen worse. It's what I haven't seen that bothers me, un."

"She's unstable, you know. She won't last long now. Soon enough, her body will be destroyed, and her chakra will run free, destroying everything in it's path. It's best to put her chakra to good use, don't you think???" Deidara couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"She still has time, un!"

"For now. Unless..."

"Unless what, un?"

"Unless she learns how to control her chakra. That would require training. And time. We, as members of this organization, do not have time. The only way for her to receive that training is if one of those members gave their time for her full development." She pulled the beautiful paper flower from her hair, and separated one of the paper petals from the rest of the bouquet.

"Yukinara is like a flower. She has yet to bloom. Your art. It is a way for you to reach those around you, like a flower has roots to reach out for the things it needs. Your roots are your art. She has no roots other than the ones she separated from in Iwagakure. Much like you." Deidara understood what she was saying, Deidara was rooted to his village, but since he defected from those fools who couldn't understand his art, he grew new roots in his art itself... and in the Akatsuki. She needed a place... a thing to grow new roots in. A way for her to bloom. A way to release her chakra. She needed an art form all her own.

She needed to become a shinobi.

"I understand Konan-san. Thank you, un."

"If she needs anything, please tell me. Until the preparations are made in a few months, she must be well taken care of. You have until then." She stood up, placing the flower back in her hair, and walked away, eventually disappearing in a flurry of paper squares. Deidara realized that in order to save her, he had to train her, teach her to fight for herself. He thought over all the ways she might be able to channel her chakra, but nothing came particularly to mind. He knew barely anything about her to know what she was interested in.

He had always loved art. His art. His was the best kind of art. It was fleeting, a simple form, that like people was there one day, and gone the next. Not even his teacher Sasori-sensei could understand his art. His art was beautiful in its own way he supposed. It was everlasting. Permanent. Never fading away. It would be remembered for a century and longer still because it would always be there. Ugh. How boring! There was no excitement in that, no explosions. That was why they could never agree on any one way to defeat their opponents. Sasori wanted to keep them, to preserve them, but Deidara wanted to destroy them, to make them just as fleeting as his clay. Temporary. Here one day, and gone the next. He looked up above him, at the door knob, and remembered what he had been thinking about before. He needed to find out just what he could do to teach Yukinara chakra control. He would wait until she awoke to find out.

It was late. Too late. It was night time again, and she hissed at the thought. Another day wasted because she couldn't hold herself up. Yukinara sat up in the bed angrily. Her arms felt stiff. She waved them in great windmills to loosen them, and heard her bones pop numerous times. She would have to exercise more often. She sighed, dropping her head against her chest. She didn't remember what had happened before except that she remembered hearing Deidara's voice. Deidara. Yukinara only just realized what had happened, and she looked around the room, but there was no sign of him. She could only guess he had run away from her after she spazzed out on him. She didn't know why this happened to her. It always made her angry. Sometimes it wasn't painful at all, but more like a rushing feeling to the head. Her body would become light, then heavy, then she would black out. That was the simplest way for her to go, but she always woke up eventually, her body stiff as a board. She started to whimper, her eyes welling up with tears. Just like when she was little. How could she make friends when she wasn't a normal kid like they were??? How could she ever become friends with Deidara when she wasn't a pretty girl like Konan was? She cried freely now, sniffling with every breath. Might as well get it all off her chest since she wouldn't be needing it anymore. She planned to give up on getting to know her kidnapper, her rescuer, her...

The door lock clicked, and it came open, revealing a shadow at the door. She looked up, still crying heavily, only to find Deidara smiling weakly back at her from the doorway. He waved meekly before inviting himself into the room. Yukinara was still crying as he approached her, his arms crossed uneasily across his chest. He didn't know how to respond to her at the moment.

"So... how are you feeling, un?"

"...fide." She said between sniffles.

"Ah, hmm, do you want anything? Food? Water? I can get you something to drink, un."

"Doh, ob fide." She sniffed again, sounding like a snorting pig, and Deidara cackled wickedly at the sound.

"Dink I'b fuddy?"

"Yes, a little, un."

"I guess I gad seggle for dat." She smiled, still sniffling, and Deidara sat down on the edge of the bed, his arms still crossed. "I'b sowwy aboud dis mongig."

"It's fine, un. I wanted to ask you some questions, but maybe I should wait, un."

"I gad ansew som guesstions, I dink," He laughed nervously at her response. "buk, can yoo show be da bathwoob?" He barely caught her meaning, and helped her up, leading her out of the room. The bathroom was on the opposite side of the room, down two hallways just like the common room was. He let her go, and she slammed the door in his face, making him huff, and he leaned against the wall where he could hear a swear or two and terrible sounds no nose should ever make.

"I'll huff, un, and I'll puff, un, and I'll blow your house in!" He cackled quietly to himself as she opened the door, cutting the light off behind her.

"Did you say something?" She was still sniffling although the sound was much nicer, much cuter. He scratched the back of his head, bringing himself to her full attention.

Oh, nothing, un! I was just talking to myself, un!"

"Oh, okay. So what kind of questions did you want to ask me?"

"Hmm, I was hoping maybe we could get to know each other better, un!" She stared at him. He wanted to get to know her? The spazz?!? It was just like the academy all over again, only this time she was one of the popular girls, the ones who were good at jutsus and espionage. She blushed, although not fully realizing it, and began fiddling with her fingers. To Yukinara, Deidara asking her if he could get to know her better was just like asking if he could go out on a date with her, unbelievable and scary.

"U-U-Um, y-yeah, great."

"I'm sorry, un, I didn't mean to intrude, I just thought, un..."

"N-N-No, it's fine! REALLY!" She was almost pleading. He took a step back from her just in case she started to cry again. "I just wanted you to like me. Sorry." She looked down at her feet, afraid he would be angry.

"Hmm, but I do like you, un! Everybody does. Especially that sleaze, Hidan. Ha! I'm a _real_ gentleman!" He smiled slyly, and she giggled once more, coming back out of her shell. "You shouldn't think there's anything strange about you. I suppose _I_ could be considered strange." He looked down at his hands. He had yet to show her what was hiding underneath those gloves. He looked back up at her only to find her staring at him as if she was waiting for a juicy secret. He realized he must have zoned out for some time.

"Sorry, un! I guess I was thinking too hard, un."

"I do that a lot." There was a silence. He looked down at his hands, and thought hard. If he were to show her this, she would either think he was a freak, or she would feel the same way about him that she felt about herself. He was willing to take that chance.

"There's something I want to show you, un."

"Like what?" She was eager to see whatever Deidara showed her. He didn't know if he could do it. Not right there. He grabbed her arm, leading her back to her room where he shut the door behind him.

"Um, sit down, un." She sat down on the bed, leaving him a space to sit. He felt uneasy doing this. He hadn't felt that way since he was a child. He never cared what people thought of him or his hands or what they could do. Deidara only cared about his art, about how he would show the world his art. He would prove that his art was supreme. That one day, he and his art would go out... with a bang.

He yanked the gloves off both hands quickly, and held them out towards her. Unseeable at first, the skin separated, revealing two mouths, each one sticking its tongue out completely. Deidara squeezed his eyes shut and jerked his head back to the side, fully expecting a scream or something else, but her response was uplifting to him.

"I knew you were hiding something!! This is so cool! How do they work???" She absentmindedly grabbed one of his fingers, pulling his arm closer. The mouths were just like anyone else's, except for a lack of speech. They couldn't possibly tell her about all the battles they had seen with Deidara. He laughed nervously as she prodded the edge of his hand, just inches from one of the mouths, trying to see if it would bite. It opened and closed, almost as if it were taking in her taste. She let him go, clapping her hands excitedly like a small child who had just witnessed an excellent magic act. The only difference was that this wasn't magic.

"You don't think they're strange... or... gross?" He rubbed his hand with the other, trying to get rid of that pinching feeling from all the poking and prodding.

"Hah, I guess if you asked any _other_ girl, she'd think they were gross, but, no, they're not gross. Strange, yes, but not gross. I guess I'm just into that kind of stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" He questioned suspiciously. He glanced at his gloves, trying to decide if he needed to put them back on now that she had seen his hands.

"Weird... creepy stuff." She smiled widely at him, and he dulled a little. So she thought they were creepy? Great.

"I _like_ creepy!" He brightened just a little. So creepy was a good thing! What a relief! He decided the gloves were no longer needed, and threw them in his pockets, his great weight of a secret finally off his chest.

"Well, now that _that's_ over with, we can get down to more important matters, un!" He exclaimed this excitedly and stood up, offering her his hand.

He glanced nervously at it for a moment, wondering if she would want to hold his hand knowing there was a mouth on it. Before she could take it, he pulled it back, chuckling nervously. She smiled at him, knowing just how he felt, and she stood up on her own.

"So, what's the business, chief?"

"Chief???" He pondered on it for a moment before continuing. "Well, it's come to my knowledge that you have what it takes to be a ninja, and _not just any_ ninja, un, " He smiled greatly at her, lifting a finger informatively. "but a Kunoichi, un!"

"What's that???" Deidara's eyes went wide. She didn't know what a kunoichi was? He would have to start from the beginning, basics and all.

"Hah, well, for starters, un," he quickly went into teaching mode, gathering up every little detail he could think of and remember from Ninja Training Academy. There are two types of ninja: male and female. Male are known respectively as shinobi, and female as kunoichi, un.

Both male and female are assigned ranks. There are four of those."

"What are they???" She asked inquisitively, sitting back down on the bed cross-legged.

"After one graduates from the academy, they are assigned rank Genin. That's beginner rank, un. They're pretty much looked down upon, and blah blah blah, un." She giggled, stifling herself quickly so he could continue. "Then there's Chuunin rank. That's advanced rank. Only the smartest genin can advance to chuunin, un."

"What rank are you, Deidara-kun???" Deidara-kun. Had she already gotten that fond of him??? He shook the matter from his thoughts, and continued.

"Hah, that's next, un! After one proves they're smart and artistic enough to exceed the expectations of chuunin, they are officially considered full level ninja or Jônin, un. You're looking at one of the best, un! S-Class, un!" He made a strong man pose, and she broke out in full laughter. She calmed down soon enough, and prepared to ask more questions in his wake.

"But that's only three ranks! What's the fourth?"

"Ahh, but don't you know?!? You were there, un! In the village! The strongest ninja in the village, un!" She thought quickly, realizing it's obviousness.

"Oh, yeah! The Tsuchikage!"

"Correct, un! The Five Shadows are the most powerful ninja in the world! They are the highest powers in any village. Some Lords can't even make a move without consulting them, un!"

"Yeah, I know..." Yukinara remembered a time when the Tsuchikage was consulted for military purposes. He was offered assistance by the fire nation, one of the world's leading military powers, but the Tsuchikage denied their assistance, choosing instead to make his village work like slaves to improve its condition. The Tsuchikage was a prideful man, one of the reasons why she wanted to get away from her village. If he wasn't willing to help, she would find someone who would. She sighed, her good mood deeply declining into a state of depression, and she fell back onto her pillows. Deidara worried that he might of tired her out.

"Am I boring you, Yuki-san, un?" Yuki-san? Had he already grown so fond of her? She didn't think she was THAT nice to be around. She did away with that thought, and returned her attention to the subject that had been on her mind.

"No, it's not you. You're fine. I was just thinking about home..." Deidara knew what she was talking about: Iwagakure. He no longer considered it home, but he knew she did. Even with all of her hatred for the things and the people that hurt her, Yukinara still missed Iwagakure. He could understand, but it was too late for him. They wouldn't miss him back.

"You should get some sleep, Yuki-san, un. We'll finish this and start training in the morning, un!"

"'Kay. Good night, Deidara-kun."

"Good night, Yuki- san, Sleep tight."

* * *

Review, please, thank you.  
...and no flames. Those will be used to roast marshmallows.


	7. A Display of Emotion

Yo. Another chapter is here. I got lazy with chapter four, cuz there were... errors that needed to be fixed, but I'll start being... _somewhat_ regular.  
Oh yeah, I almost forgot...

All characters sans Yukinara belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump  
Don't sue me.

On with the story.

* * *

**The Harvest**

Chapter Seven:  
A Display of Emotion

Pein was staring out the window like a mannequin, as Sasori approached, news from Konoha fresh on his mind. It wouldn't be long now until they received news of the first of the Nine Tailed Beasts. He entered the house without so much as a greeting, and stopped in the middle of the room, keeping his back turned the entire time. He hated looking in Pein's eyes. They always brought more out of him than he wished to tell.

"My spy in Konoha has gathered very useful information. The exams start in one week. That will be the perfect gathering place for ninja of all kinds. Including... Jinchuuriki."

"And what news of the traitor?"

"He is still on the move. Currently he is in disguise, and on the way to Konohagakure. Quite another bit of amusing info... he thinks he's created himself a little army. He's overthrown a pathetic little village, and renamed it Otogakure."

"I see. The Land of Rice Fields. He's always had his eyes on their particular form of Kekkei Genkai." Sasori froze. How had he known? No visible eye contact. Could he read minds? He wouldn't put it past him. He knew very little about his young commander from Amegakure, but he would serve him unquestioningly.

"There is also news of another. It seems the first of the tailed beasts has been found in my former village. My twenty year absence left me a bit... uninformed, but I've secured a spy right on the new Kazekage's board of right-hand officials. Any information that goes through him must also pass through me."

"Excellent." Pein turned from the window, to stare unwillingly at Sasori's back. He hated impudence, but Sasori was valuable to him. "We have... a situation."

"The girl?"

"Hai."

"My new apprentice is a bit unruly, but I doubt he will pose much of a threat to the plan. It might be useful for Deidara-san to teach her a little ninjutsu. It might benefit her greatly. We have no idea what kind of damage her chakra may cause. Not just to her, but to us. She is after all, unstable."

"And if she revolts?"

"I doubt that greatly, my Leader. She has neither the courage, nor the intelligence to do that. Even if she did, we would be forced to kill her... and you know, that would set us _very_ far back." Sasori smirked. That would be perfect... for _him_.

"Faster, un!"

"I'm trying! It's not working!"

Morning. Training was not going smoothly considering they only had a few months to perfect it in. Her lack of exercise made her weak, slow, tired.

She dropped to the ground, sweat pouring out of every pore. This would be a long and arduous training period.

"You're very slow, Yuki-san, un."

"I know that! Quit rubbing it in!!"

"I was only saying, un. Perhaps we should go over the hand signs again, hmm?"

"But I already know those!"

"Of course you do, un! Show me the hand sign for... monkey!" She quickly made the hand sign for the monkey, and dropped her arms back on the ground. "Horse, un!" She hesitated, making the horse hand sign, and dropped her arms once more. "Snake, un!!" She hesitated once more, this time making the wrong hand sign, and groaned, flopping her arms down to the ground even harder than before. Deidara was smirking wildly. He knew he had been too quick for a beginner like her. A trained professional could churn out twenty hand signs perfectly in a matter of seconds. Yukinara: Only about one every twenty seconds.

"You cheated, Deidara-kun! You know I can't go that fast!"

"Hai, but if you want to survive, you have to learn how to do it right, or..." He dragged a finger across his neck signifying death, and laughed. She merely rolled her eyes at him. "but I suppose I can cut you a little slack, un. Not bad for your first try, un." They had been working on doppelgangers, but she hadn't been able to summon anything except mist. They had been at it since 6:00 in the morning. It was then 11:32.

"Just say it. I suck!"

"Hai, you suck, but I'm not giving up on you, especially after only your first try, un! We're just getting started! All beginners suck! Even me, un! Not unless you're... an Uchiha." He growled burying his fingers in the dirt. The very name disgusted him.

"Why do you hate Itachi so much? He's not that bad."

"Hmph. All Uchiha are snobs! Inartistic snobs who look down upon those who are less than them... like they look down upon my art, un!!!" Yukinara could obviously tell this was a very touchy subject, and said no more about it, waiting for her teacher to snap out of his state of rage. He let one final huff of anger out of his system and smiled at Yukinara, making her look at him strangely. She was working with a schitzo!

"Sorry, but I feel strongly about that subject, un."

"Yeah, I noticed. Even _I_ don't hate anybody that much."

"Ha, I bet you do, un! I bet you can name one person who disgusts you completely, un!"

"No, no.... not really. Can't think of anybody." Deidara's eyes went wide. Everyone has an enemy. Even his Sasori-senpai had an enemy! But her? No one! What did she _do_ with her childhood???

"You don't have _anyone_ whom you hate?"

"I don't hate people. I know that's hard to believe, but I don't! I mean, I hate things, but not people. That's just how I was raised. Sorry."

"You don't even _know_ anyone, do you, un???"

"I know lot's of people, some of 'em I don't want to see anymore, but I don't hate them. Too many people have hurt me, but I wouldn't hurt them back. I'm too nice. I'm just not cut out to be a ninja." She fell back to the ground, disappointed in her honesty. No way Deidara could ever think much of her now. He stared at her, wondering if ninja training was the best way to go. Maybe she just wasn't cut out for it after all. He sighed, standing up off the ground.

"Ahh, well. We should head inside. Let's get some lunch, un."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Mad at you, un? Not likely. The Uchiha maybe, but not you, un."

"You're not lying to me are you?"

"No, un! C'mon, let's go, un! Maybe when we get inside, we can get some of those crazy thoughts out of your skull, huh?"

"You mean, like, brainwash me?" Deidara sighed with a smile, shaking his head in defeat. She was being problematic on purpose. He simply ignored it and walked ahead, Yukinara close behind. When they stepped inside, Sasori and Itachi stood watching them from a safe distance. Deidara could tell they had been spying on them the entire morning. Sasori out of anxiousness, and Itachi out of worry. Yukinara could sense the hatred and lust radiating off of them. She backed out of the open doorway, attempting to avoid conflict. She would let Deidara handle the situation for her.

"Morning, Sasori-sama. Is something the matter, un?"

"No. Nothing at all. How is her training coming along? Good, I hope."

"Ah, yes, well, first day is always a bit slow, un. But she'll be perfect in no time!" Yes. Perfect in no time. Sasori was counting on it. Itachi stepped back against the wall to get a better look at the girl standing outside. She was running her fingers through the dirt, making pictures of small animals and places. It was her form of art.

She was perhaps the most common-looking girl he'd ever seen, but her facial features reminded him of his own former clan, the Uchihas. But mostly of himself. She seemed to take things quite well in the presence of the other members, but he could tell she was alone like him. She was still unique, no matter how much she tried to fit in. She sat down, pressing herself into a small ball, not quite the fetal position, but tight enough to escape the world around her. He finally looked away bringing his attention to the two talking in front of him. He couldn't be more unconcerned with their conversation at the moment. What was really eating at him was the conversation that his Sharingan had picked up a few days ago. It concerned him. And his brother.

"I see, Kabuto. I see." Sasori was lost in thought, his eyes closed in the meditation of a powerful jutsu. "So the trials have begun. This will surely help us. Help _me_." He smiled menacingly to himself. Through his puppet's eyes he had seen more than enough. The beginning of the Chuunin exams were underway, and powerful new puppets were to be discovered. Only the most powerful of ninja were in Sasori's collection. So far he had 89. He went over everything his puppet saw. But one other thing caught his knowledge. The name... Uchiha. He was sure he had heard it. Uchiha something or other. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. He was sure the only Uchiha left was Itachi, and even then they wouldn't have their sights set on him. He was gone now, and that was the end of it. So just who was this Uchiha name that kept popping up? He decided to rest on it, and slept with one eye open. He knew someone or other would be watching, whether it was his new partner or their Leader, he couldn't be sure. But he knew.

Itachi caught his breath, releasing his Sharingan, and thought over his options. Whatever was amiss with his brother wasn't a good sign. He knew that Sasuke would be in danger. If it was indeed the time of the year for the Chuunin exams, he would need to be at his strongest. He grimaced, noting the difference between himself and his brother. He was only seven when he entered and swept through the Chuunin exams. Sasuke was almost twice that age. He wasn't ready in his opinion. He wanted his foolish, hard-headed brother to survive. Survive so he could...

He heard a familiar sound, like the sound of cutting air. An explosion, maybe? He knew something or someone had been under attack. It was coming from below, in the grass. He stowed his thoughts carefully, and made a swift exit. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop, the moonlight bouncing off his hair. The only thing that ran across his thoughts were, _"Just don't die, brother."_

He returned to reality to look back out the door again. She was gone. She must have moved while he was lost in thought. He spotted out of the corner of his eye, Yukinara leaning against the window sill. She was listening nonchalantly to Deidara and Sasori talk. She leaned on one arm, her eyes half open. She was less than a few feet away from him, yet she didn't seem to notice his presence anymore. Not until he put himself between her and her entertainment. Despite his intentions, Yukinara was sure he wanted to kill her. She stood upright, backing away from him. Itachi merely wanted to talk. She looked at his face more carefully now. His eyes were black again, the frightening red pigment no longer visible. He managed a slight smile, which frightened Yukinara even more. She gulped down hard, and managed to smile back quickly before looking around for witnesses. She didn't know what would happen to her now.

"So. Your name is Yukinara, is it?"

"Um, yeah," she blushed. She mentally punished herself for this.

"I'm sorry about my partner. He's a bit care-free."

"Oh! That's okay! He seems nice… for a shark." She trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence. Kisame's appearance still disturbed her. "Did I make you mad? The reason you're talking to me?"

"No. I simply wanted to talk. I don't do that much." Yukinara could tell. He barely said anything to his partner, and he was the one to whom he was the closest. She noticed his distant expression settle on two small sparrows behind her, searching for an afternoon snack. They pecked happily at the dirt, trying to catch whatever they could find. They fluttered away, bringing Itachi back to her.

"This training of yours. I think it's foolish. What do you hope to learn in such a small amount of time?"

"I know. Deidara-kun said that it might help me, you know, control my _chakra_, or something like that. I don't know." Itachi winced at the sound of Deidara's name being used so simply. Itachi made it policy not to get emotionally involved with his missions. He was to remain detached at all times. That was what made him such a valuable member of the organization. His skills and his heartlessness. But now he was breaking his rule, and he couldn't understand why. Perhaps he was lonely. Without his begging brother by his side, he was just a lonely boy. He was even a year younger than Yukinara, making him feel even more awkward. He didn't want to fall into the same trap her 'Deidara-kun' had fallen into, and he turned away, brushing his bangs out of his eyes.

"Good day, Miss Yukinara."

"Oh, uh, right. See ya." She couldn't understand the brooding Uchiha, and she decided that maybe she didn't want to. Getting to know him would be like getting to know a poisonous animal: before you know it, it will bite.

Kisame stood at the end of the hall, a bright smile on his face, and his hand on the hilt of his sword. He watched the impatient Itachi approach him with a frown on his face. Despite his expression, Kisame kept smiling even as his partner passed him by without a word. He was used to this. After all, Itachi was still just a child in Kisame's eyes, and he would do whatever was in his power to look after him, even subject himself to Itachi's command. He turned to follow the boy, keeping close by his side.

"Well, what did you learn from her? Anything good?"

"No. Nothing. She's of no use to us." Kisame remained silent, still smiling the whole way through. He always smiled, his sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight – Especially when his Itachi was nearby. It was because he was so distant that Kisame could always smile. He enjoyed learning something new about his young partner every time he went on a mission with him. He especially loved seeing new facets of his personality, like this one. He knew Itachi wasn't looking for information, but someone to talk to. Besides him, anyway. Kisame simply humored him, following him out another door. Itachi had to get away from the crime scene; the embarrassment. Kisame had seen the almost nonexistent smile he had given Yukinara, and he chuckled a little thinking about it. Itachi eyed him slightly, continuing his brisk pace. He could tell Kisame was making fun of him for his 'display of emotion.' That bothered him.

"What's so funny, Kisame-san?"

"How you always manage to amaze me, Uchiha. To work with you is an honored gift! I always find out something interesting about you, you know? Today, for example, I have found you have a way with the ladies!! Ha ha ha!!!" He continued laughing, making Itachi 'humph' loudly at him. He was used to his partner's personality. Kisame found humor in everything, even him. He looked away, watching more sparrows peck away at the dirt. One of the sparrows managed to find a small cricket, snapping it up quickly before it could escape, and the group flew away, eager to share their new catch. He sighed, thinking about how he almost let his defenses down. He didn't want to have his feelings wasted on a girl, and even more so, a girl who was doomed to die. It was just common sense. Itachi prepared himself for another scouting mission, and made a final leap into the trees, Kisame following right behind.

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Reviews are greatly appreciated.  
Thank you.


	8. Secrets and Lies

Eh, I got some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that this is the last chapter for quite a while. The good news is that the next chapter is already started, and when I'm not quite so lazy, I'll get to finding some inspiration to finish it. I like this story, but I don't have many reviews, so more reviews means I'm more likely to finish writing it.  
So, people, if you like it, please review it. I can't stress that enough.

Now, onto the disclaimer.  
Any and all characters sans Yukinara belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump.  
Please don't sue me.

* * *

**The Harvest**

Chapter Eight:  
Secrets and Lies

Yukinara had been so focused on Itachi as he sped away from her that she hadn't noticed that Sasori and Deidara were no longer there. She looked both ways attempting to find them, but they were long gone. She sighed heavily, not really knowing where to look, but Deidara had never really left. He crouched silently beneath the window pane, waiting to frighten her. He looked down the hall, staring at the same door Itachi had left through. He hated Itachi. With all his heart. He wouldn't let an _Uchiha_ make him look bad. He refocused on Yukinara, a sly smile creeping onto his face. He made a flying leap, yelling, "BOO!" as he landed on his feet. She screamed loudly, and fell backwards onto the ground below. He was still laughing wildly as she stood up to glare at him, and threw a clod of dirt in his face. He blocked it with his arm, continuing to laugh, until he finally calmed down. She was still glaring daggers at him, and he chuckled slightly before finally becoming silent.

"Sorry, but I thought that was funny, yeah?"

"Well, I didn't." she spoke plainly.

"Sorry, un. Got carried away! Hey, maybe we should wash up, un. Shower's behind me!" She kept a watchful eye on her teacher, as she located the door on the other side of the building, and came through, her arms crossed. She was going to make sure he didn't cause her any trouble. Once she had made it past him, her walk turned into a run, and she flew down another adjoining hallway, locating a great bathroom.

Despite the rest of the hollow stone building, the bathroom, was fixed in a wonderful marble tiling, with an extra large bath and shower to boot. She sighed, locking the door behind her. It would be nice to have a bath after all this time. She hung her clothes on the door and flew to the tub. There was no one to bother her now, and she made plans to just relax rather than worry about anything at the moment. She sank into the warm water, spying the large fluffy towels hanging above her. They were blood red in color, and suited the cream and emerald marble tiling and fixtures perfectly. They reminded her of the deep red clouds on their cloaks. She decided half an hour was enough, and stepped out of the tub, wrapping one of the large towels around her body. She took another long look at the bathroom around her before realizing she hadn't washed her hair. With a surprised, "oh," she un-wrapped the towel, flinging it across the side of the tub, and sped to the shower. She closed the door, and turned on the hot water. She was glad to wash the dirt and oil out of her hair. It made her angry when her hair became unruly like that. When she was finally through, she re-wrapped the towel around her, taking another for her hair.

When she finally made it to the door, she found a smiling Konan waiting for her in the doorway. She was holding something in her arms.

"Oh, um, Konan-san, right?"

"Yes. I brought you a clean change of clothes. I hope that's alright."

"Uh, yeah, it is! Thanks! Mine are kinda," she trailed off, looking down at the dirty mess of clothing lying on the marble floor behind her. "done." Konan let out a small giggle before handing her the clothes, and she grabbed the dirty pile before leaving. Despite her angelic persona, she didn't seem to mind the menial chores. It was as if she was used to them. Yukinara watched as she disappeared behind the corner, her paper bouquet bouncing happily in her hair. She blushed a little, thinking about how she had been so jealous of her before. She barely knew Konan well enough to be jealous. That made Yukinara think. She struggled her arms through the sleeves of her shirt, and pondered on her last-minute decision. Before, Yukinara had been too frightened to get to know anyone. Especially Itachi. Now that she had seen Konan's friendly smile, she wanted to go back on her decision. There'd be no way for her to be so distant to them now after all the kind things they had done for her. She pressed into the rest of her clothes, and flew down the hall barefoot. Her sandals had gone with the rest of the laundry. She would just have to be careful where she treaded.

When she made it back to the hallway where her room was, she was no longer lost. She followed the same hallways Hidan had led her through, and found them all sitting at the table. It was picture perfect after today's events. She dropped happily into a chair opposite Pein at the other end, and he nodded to her, his frown still planted on his face. He never smiled. Yukinara wondered if he was incapable of it. But then there was Itachi whom she had thought was incapable of it, and he had surprised her so easily! She would just have to wait and see if her presence would have any effect on her kind hosts. She looked around her at the faces that were present, and then looked again for the ones that weren't. Itachi and Kisame were noticeably absent. No scowling teenager or grinning shark. What a relief! She looked to find Deidara and Sasori in their place, Deidara grinning widely at a tiny clay bird hopping around in front of him. Yukinara smiled at his unconditional love for his artwork. It was like a proud parent and his child. Her hallmark moment was cut short by the presence of Hidan smiling at her from up close. She frowned deeply, her expression almost matching that of Pein's, and slid her chair away from him. He was too creepy for her tastes. He simply waved once more before turning away. Even though she felt a lot safer, she could still see Hidan eyeing her from his end. It bothered her that she had to sit so close to a sleeze. It was almost as if Pein could sense her irritation. He made a silent remark to Sasori, who moved his chair slightly to the side. They stared at her, waiting for his response.

"Miss Yukinara, why don't you join us over here." He waved his hand, beckoning her to come over. She looked around frantically, before dragging her chair noisily behind her. She had been glad that Itachi wasn't there. She knew for sure he would hate her now for all the noise she was making. She dropped the chair between Deidara and Sasori, and sat down, her face flushed red. She smiled at both ninja on either side of her before dropping her head again. Being so close like this was no better than being so close to Hidan.

"Yuki-san, are you sick? Do you have fever?"

"Huh--wha?"

"You know, fever. Sick. Your face is red."

"Oh, no! I'm not sick! I just—uh, well, you see—" Yukinara fumbled for words, trying to find the right explanation for her facial tone. This wouldn't be easy. "Well, It was just, you know! And I was… uh… Sorry." She dropped her head in defeat.

Saying 'It's just that you're _so intimidating_!' would be even more embarrassing than the look on her face. She felt like a complete loser now. How nice. To make matters worse, Hidan was present. He took her opportunity for his own to embarrass her himself. Even nicer.

"Come on, blondie! Isn't it obvious?!? She's in love with you! It couldn't have been damn clearer if she held up a sign!!!" He laughed his hearty laugh, and Yukinara swore that her face was in flames, the heat licking away at her skin. This was the end of the social ladder. The bottom rung. She wanted to melt into a puddle of water and drain somewhere far away. She couldn't take it anymore. The only defense Yukinara had was Deidara, and what a defense he was! Much nicer.

"Yes, that's right, un! How she loves _all_ of us! Right, Yukinara-san?" He nudged her in the shoulder, waiting for a response. She finally caught on, and perked up, deciding to join in.

"Oh, yeah! You guys are great! I love you _all_!!!" She gave an excellent false smile to Hidan who returned it deftly. He knew she wouldn't give in so easily. He wasn't going to give up on her, until she admitted it. He could see it in her eyes.

Pein sighed at the childish antics going on in front of him, and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He knew something like this would occur with Hidan and Yukinara at the same table. Konan smirked at his tired expression. She thought of her Pein as a father with a household full of children. One would suppose she were the mother. She looked over Pein to the girl. She was much calmer now, chatting happily with Deidara and occasionally Sasori. She frowned at Sasori's expression towards her. It was neither a loving look nor a look of distastefulness. It bothered her. Just what kind of planning was going on in Sasori's head? She was eager to put a stop to it, and Konan placed a hand on the table in front of Pein.

"Yukinara-chan, please, come sit with me. I'd like to get to know you better." Her smile was sincere and welcoming, just like the one she had given her before in the bathroom. Yukinara smiled back, dragging her chair behind her. Sasori's vacant expression turned into a scowl, and he stared hatefully down at the table in front of him. Konan had won.

"I've been meaning to ask you, uh—" She stared at the table before continuing. "The table! Where'd it come from?!?" she pointed vehemently at the table, and Konan gave a full laugh.

"A replacement. It's nothing important."

"Oh." Konan could tell Deidara's influence was rubbing off on her. She hardly kept her eyes off of him. Konan smiled. Young love was sweet to her. Even if it wasn't her own. She knew there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell it would last, though. That much was for sure. That was why she fought so hard with Pein to convince him to let Deidara have his way. He was still just a child. Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. She looked over at the blonde to find him scratching a hole into the polished wood finish on the table's surface. Without Yukinara to talk to, he was bored. She returned her smile to Yukinara, and put a caring hand on her arm.

"Yukinara-chan, please tell me. Is Deidara-san's training paying off?"

"Um, I don't know. I guess. Listen to me! I sound stupid!"

"Training is important. It could save your life. Deidara-san cares very much about your safety. As do we all. Especially Pein." Yukinara looked warily at the frustrated Pein. He was scowling even more so than before. Had Konan not been between the two of them, she felt he would have taken it out on her. But if what Konan said was true, then Pein certainly would have found a better outlet. She returned her attention to Konan's smiling figure.

"I think I'm just in the way here. Everybody seems so… busy."

"Yes. Always. There are always things to be done in _our_ line of work," What that line of work was, Yukinara had no idea. "but you shouldn't let that bother you. You are very important to us. Your presence here is inspiration to us all! _Especially Pein_." Yukinara wasn't liking Konan's tone anymore. Or her smile. It wasn't inviting any longer, only twisted and sick. Just what kind of game had she stepped in? Did Konan really care what happened to her? The way she pronounced Pein's name was as if he were the _center of the universe_! Yukinara hadn't noticed her mouth gaping until the last minute when she heard her jaw make a loud clap as it shut closed. Konan's smile morphed into a look of worry, a twisted, false look of worry one got when something happened to someone they hated. It was the only look a person could give without saying how happy they were to see it happen.

"Yukinara-chan, is something the matter?"

"N-N-No, nothing. It's fine. I'm going… o-over there." She pointed drearily to Deidara before grabbing her chair and dragging it back to its original spot. She hoped this would be the end of whatever horrible situation she had gotten caught in the middle of. This was the kind of thing that happened on soap operas and teenage dramas. Not real life. And certainly not between shinobi. Maybe it was all just a terrible dream. Yeah, that's what it was. Just a bad dream, because when Yukinara next noticed, she was lying bewildered at the table between a shocked Deidara and Sasori. Even Sasori's expression was concerned.

"Hey, Yuki-san. You okay?"

"Um, what? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I think…"

"So what did Konan-sama say to you, un?" It wasn't a dream. He had to bring it up eventually. She sighed, thinking over their previous conversation. Everything she had said to her was normal conversation, right up until she reached the part about training. The training. Was that what really had everyone so worried? What kind of damage could one stupid girl do to this band of all-powerful ninja??? She shook her head, trying stubbornly to get rid of her worries, but they just wouldn't leave her. She was in it now.

"Oh. Uh… It's nothing. Just chatting, that's all!" She laughed nervously. Deidara wasn't convinced. He looked up at Konan with interest. She was looking at Pein. Whether she was avoiding his gaze or not, he couldn't tell, but he felt he was missing out on something.

"Hey, Yuki-san, when this over, I want to show you something, un!"

"Oh, okay, sure!"

They sat there for a long while, long after the others had left. Konan spied the two of them from the doorway, a look of pure hatred on her face. Deidara wasn't keeping his end of the bargain. Training. And nothing more. Whether he loved her or not, if she wasn't trained in the few short months they had before they started the harvest, she would be forced to destroy her herself. This wasn't meant to be. She knew that well. Pein had told her this would happen, but she hadn't expected it to occur so soon. She had been so generous, letting Deidara train her, teach her, and help her, but he was getting too close. She was a tool, not a person. If she didn't learn how to control her chakra soon, she would be dead long before the sealing jutsu would ever be put into affect. She would just have to find a way to keep her on the straight and narrow. An intervention. Konan knew just the person for the job.


End file.
